Current collector



March 26, 1929. H. P" CHANDLER 1,706,553

CURRENT COLLECTOR Original Filed Oct. 9, 1926 PATENTv OFFICE.

HOMER P. CHANDLER,

0F MANSFIELD, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE OHIO BRASS COM- PART, 01' MANSFIELD,OHIO, A. CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

CURRENT COLLECTOR.

Application filed October 8,

My invention typeof collector is that they will not opcrate asefliciently in backing up as in going forward and after an examinationof the various types of sliding collectors, which have come to mattention, and careful consideration of t e conditions, I havediscovered that the difficulty can be overcome b making the center ofoscillation of the slice coincide with the line of contact between thetrolley wire and the shoe or collector.

By placing the axis of oscillation as close to the line of contactbetween the conductor and the shoe and midway longitudinally of the shoethere is no turning moment about the axis of oscillation tending torotate the shoe either in one direction or the other as it moves alongthe trolley wire either in a forward or reverse direction of movement.

I also find it advisable to make the shoe as symmetrical as possiblewith respect to the vertical center line 4-4 so as to alance it upon theaxis of rotation.

I also prefer to so balance the shoe that the contact surface will restnormally in a horizontal line.

Many of the collectors of the sliding shoe type are counter-balanced orover-welghted so as to throw the contact surface of the shoe out of ahorizontal position, but this has a tendency to change the operatingconditions when movin forward or backward.

None of t e shoes that I have examined have had the center of rotationor oscillation coinciding with or adjacent to the line of contact of theshoe.

It will be apparent that since there is always a certain amount of wearto the contact surface of the shoe that it will be im-.

possible to place the center of rotation coincident with the contactsurface when the shoe is new and maintain it in that relation therefore,I place the center of rotation o the shoe at a point between theoriginal contact surface and that to which I think it will eventuallywear. If I decide that the contact will wear down one-quarter inch, thenI would lace the center of oscillation about one-eighth inch below theoriginal contact surface.

1926, Serial No. 140,681. Renewed September 26, 1927.

My invention resides in the new and novel construction, combination andrelation of the various parts herein described and shown in the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a side invention.

Fig. 2 is an end view of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a top view of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

In the preferred embodiment of my invention I employ a support member 1provided with two spaced supporting members 2.

The supporting members 2 have an inwardly projecting flange 3 in thecenter of which is formed a slot 4. The upper face of the flange 3 ispreferably machined to an arcuate surface having a predetermined radius.

Each support member 2 is provided with a flange 5 adjacent the flange 3forming a trough-like construction.

Mounted in the trough-like construction is the collecting member or shoe6 which has a projecting lug 7 extending through the slot 4. Thesupporting members 2 are provided with registering slots 8 whichcoincide with an opening 9 in the lug 7 Passing through the slots 8 andthe opening 9 is a retaining member 10 which has suflicient clearancefrom the parts with which it engages to permit the same to move freelyor roll as the member 6 oscillates relative to the member 1.

The contacting surface of the member 6 with the member 3 is preferablymachined and to the same radius as that of the member 3. The member 10retains the parts in inseparable relation, but permits them to moverelative to each other upon their arcuate bearing surface.

The shoe 6 is provided with'a groove 11 having an elongated bearingsurface 12 which contacts with the conductor 13. The surface 12 will, ofcourse, wear down from use and may assume a position shown bv the dottedline 14 before the shoe is ready to discard.

In order to reduce the turning movement of the shoe when in operation Ihave shown the center of oscillation at the point A and this is theintersectionof the original contact surface 12 and the center line H,and with this point as a center I have used the view in elevation of myradius Rto form the arcuate surfaces between the parts 6 and 3.

It is quite evident that if the surface 12 wears down tocoincide withthat of 14 that I would be equally justified in using the radius R forthe arcuate surfaces of contact, but in practice I refer to use a middlepoint between the sur aces 12 and 14 on the line 44, and with this asthe center I employ the radius R.

The shoe is so formed as to produce a receptacle 15 therein in which maybe placed a lubricant such as oil, and from there a passage 16 leads tothe surface of the groove 12 and in the passage 16 is mounted a piece ofwicking 17 by means of which the oil may be transmitted to the contactsurface of the collector and lubricate the same and reduce wear. I alsofind that some of this oil will creep over the end surfaces of thegroove 11 and lubricate the arcuate bearing surfaces. 1

I find that a shoe constructed as herein described and by having themiddle of the shoe uniformly disposed and with the axis of oscillationcoinciding as nearly as possible with the variable contact surface thatthe operation is much better equalized for both the forward and backwardmovement of the shoe than in the present type of shoes, and the tendencyto leave the wire, especially when backing up, is greatly reduced.

There are modifications, of course, which can be made in my inventionfrom that disclosed herein, but I do not wish to be lim ited other thanby my claims.

I claim:

1. A current collector comprising a support member and a. shoe memberhaving a contact surface to engage a trolley wire, each member havingengaging arcuate hearing surfaces upon which they oscillate, the centerof radius of the arcuate surfaces coinciding with the contact surface ata point midway the ends of the shoe.

2. A current collector comprising a support member and a shoe memberhaving a contact surface to engage a trolley wire, each member havingengaging areuate bearing surfaces upon which they oscillate, the centerof radius of the arcuate surfaces coinciding with the contact surface ata point midway the ends of the shoe and means movable with one of themembers to prevent separation of the members but permit cillation of themembers.

3. A current collector comprising a support, a shoe mounted in thesupport to oscillate relative thereto and having an elongated contactsurface to engage a trolley wire, the center of oscillation coincidingapproximately with the contact surface midway the length of the contactsurface.

4. A'sliding contact shoe provided with a groove having an elongatedcontact surface, an arcuate bearing surface having a radius the centerof which falls within the limits of wear of the contact surface andmidway of the length of the contact surface.

5. A sliding contact shoe provided with a groove having an elongatedcontact surface, an arcuate bearing surface having a radius the centerof which falls within the limits of wear of the contact surface andmidway of the length of the contact surface and a receptacle formedwithin the shoe to contain oil and m MRS to conduct the oil to thecontact surface of the groove.

6. A current collector comprising a support, an arcuate scat formed inthe support, an areuate slot in the support, a shoe having a contactsurface and an areuatc surface mounted upon the arcuate surface of thesupport and having a substantially closed receptacle formed within theshoe to retain lubricating material, means to remove the lubricant fromthe receptacle, means passing through the arcuate slot and engaging theshoe to maintain the support. and shoe in operative relation.

7. A current collector comprising a support, an arcuate seat formed inthe support, an arcuate slot in the support, a shoe having a contactsurface and an arcuate surface mounted upon the arcuate surface of thesupport, means passingthrough the arcuate slot and engaging the shoe tomaintain the support and shoe in operative relation, the center ofradius of the arcuate surfaces coinciding approximately with theintersection of a vertical center line with the contact surface of theshoe.

8. A current collector comprising a support, a shoe mounted in thesupport to oscillate relative thereto and having an elongated contactsurface to engage a trolley Wire, the center of oscillation coincidingapproximately with the contact surface and located along the length ofthe contact surface and its engagement with the support at a pointdistant from the center of oseillation.

9. A sliding shoe for a current collector provided with a contactsurface to slide in contact along a conductor, means to hold the shoe ona support, a receptacle formed within the shoe to hold 'a lubricant andmeans to apply the lubricant to the contact surface.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

HOMER P. CHANDLER.

